Steering column lock switch



May 30, 1939. v w c EDWARDS 2,160,261

STEERING cowxvm Locx SWITCH Filed May 24, 1935 i 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mom/"M3 y 1939- w. c. EDWARDS 2,160,261

STEERING COLUMN LOCK SWITCH I Filed May 24, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 //2 w H w m:

Patented May 30, 1939 2,160,261

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFEQE STEERING COLUMN LOCK SWITCH William Edwards, Anderson, Ind assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Application May 24, 1935, Serial No. 23,172

7 Claims. (01. 200-55) This invention relates to locking means for approximately the same plane as the leg 8 and automotive vehicles and more specifically to a is at approximate right angles thereto. This unitary locking structure which performs the portion 34 carries the locking and switching dual function of locking the steering column structure, designated generally at 35 and 38 against rotation and also looks the ignition cirrespectively. 15- cuit. Within the outer circular casing 26 of the It is an object of my invention to provide a steering column, which is stationary, is concensimple, economical lock having the above dual trically located a tube 48 which is the actuating functions. tube for the steering action and within that are It is a further object to provide a certain selocated. further concentric tubes 42 whose funcl0 quence of operation of the parts for purposes of tion it is to carry control apparatus such as consafety. ductors for operating the horn, lights, etc. Cut

For a better understanding of the nature and longitudinally into the portion 34, and at right objects of this invention, reference is made to angles to the steering column, is a bore 44 which the following specification wherein there are deextends from the outer end through to the open- 1 scribed the embodiments of my invention which ing 2d. Fitting snugly within this bore 44 is a are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, hollow sleeve M5 which carries within it a plunger in which, d8, which is considerably shorter than the sleeve.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a steering post and This plunger has at its inner end a nose 50 of wheel with the structure of my invention in its reduced diameter. The outer casing 26 and the g0 usual position. actuating tube til have aligned Openings 52 and Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 54 cut therein through which the nose 5!! is adaptof Fig. 1. ed to project and when in its innermost position Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on will tend to prevent the tube 46 from turning. the line 3--3 of Fig. 2 showing a diagrammatic The outer end of the sleeve has an inturned 25 ignition circuit connected thereto. flange 55 and a coil spring 5% bears against the Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line inner surface of this flange and against the outer 4-4 of Fig. 3. face of the plunger A 8 tending to keep the plunger Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the movin its innermost locking position. The central able switch base with contacts. portion of the outer end of the plunger is bored 30 A steering wheel 2 is rotatably supported on out to form an opening 5% in which is supported the upper end of the steering column, generally a horizontal contact rod 62 embedded in an insudesignated at 4, surrounding which is an angular lating block 66 and fitting within the opening 60, casting 6 having one leg 8 projecting forwardly which may be composed of hard rubber or other and upwardly therefrom, the upper end of which similar material. The rod 62 has a series of 35 is spread out and forms two flat ears Hi, the peripheral grooves 655 into which the rubber flows upper surfaces of which have a series of teeth upon molding and which prevents it from being or serrations l2 which teeth engage with the withdrawn from the hard rubber block 64. The similar serrations l4 on the lower face of an outer end of the rod projects through the opening angular bracket l6 secured to the rear face of in the flange 58 and carries thereon two circular 40 the instrument panel l8. Bolts 20 extend through disks t3 and iii of substantially larger diameter elongated openings 22 of the ears and through than the opening. A ring washer l2, fitting in the arm of the angular bracket IE to secure the a groove adjacent the outer end of the rod, pretwo together. vents these disks from sliding off the rod. The

In the main body of the casting 6 is drilled a inner disk 83 is formed of an insulating material, 45 transverse opening 24 through which the outer and the outer disk EE- is of a conducting or mecasing 26 of the steering column passes. A slot 28 tallic material. A coil spring 74 surrounds the is cut in the casting from the outer surface to rod and presses against the insulating block 64 the transverse opening 24 to allow the casting to on its inner end. and against the inner surface of be clamped upon the outer casing 26. A bore the disk $8 tending to keep the two separated 50 30 is cut at right angles to the slot 28 and a and the disk in in contact with the locking ring bolt 32 is threaded therein whose action upon washer 2. The purpose of the insulated disk 63 tightening the same is to tend to close the slot is to prevent contact between the conductor disk 28 and clamp the casting! upon the steering l2 and the metallic sleeve 45, the rod being insu- 5 column. A second leg 34 of the casting lies in lated from the plunger by the insulating block 64.

Adjacent the outer end of the leg 34, and at right angles to the bore 44, is a second bore I6 in which is supported a substantially cylindrical body 78 of insulating material. This body has cut into the inner side thereof an opening 80 into which the outer end of the sleeve projects and also the disks 68 and I0. Through the body from the top to the bottom and in alignment with its longitudinal axis, is secured a conductor rod 82 the two ends of which are enlarged to form electrical contacts 84 and 88. The contact 86 is drilled and tapped out to provide for a tap bolt 88 which secures one end of the electrical conductor 90 thereto. Parallel with the rod 82 are two short portions 92 and 94 of a similar conducting rod which is not continuous from the upper end of the insulating block to the lower but has a gap in the center between the two. As before, an enlarged contact is formed upon the outer ends of each of these portions. The two lower contacts 86 are connected to a conventional ignition circuit, which is diagrammatically shown, and comprises a battery 81, a circuit breaker 89 and a primary coil 9|. Adjacent the gap, between the internal ends of the portion 92 and 94, is cut a further opening 98 in the insulating body which allows the end of the rod 82 to enter when the plunger is moved to the right to bring the conducting plate it? into contact with the portions 92 and M to bridge the gap therebetween. The top of the insulating section 18 is slightly below the upper surface of 3d, the latter projecting to a slight extent over the upper edge of the same and clamping therebetween, the angular edge of a protecting metallic cylinder I09, the latter being again offset inwardly to rotatably clamp the lower annular edge IilI of a control button I02 which is formed also of insulating material, and the upper extremity HM of which has a rectangular outline to form a gripping portion which may be easily turned by hand.

Extending vertically in the center of this switch body I02 are two aligned bores, the upper being of smaller diameter than the lower. The upper bore seats one end of a rod I06 embedded therein which projects slightly below the lower face of the member I02 and supports thereon a circular disk contact plate I08, the end of the rod being riveted over to keep the plate from disengagement but allow some axial movement. Concentrio with, and surrounding a portion of the rod from the plate to the base of the larger diameter opening I I0, is a circular coil spring II2 which tends to keep the plate in its lowermost position against the riveted head. The construction of the plate, which is best shown in Fig. 5, is sub stantially that of a disk, having extending radially from the periphery adjacent one side, two short knubs II4 which are spaced a short distance apart and are adapted to lie on opposite sides of a downwardly extending lug II5 from the member I02. The purpose of this structure is to prevent the disk I08 from having relative rotational movement with respect to the member I02. The surface of the plate I 02 also has two downwardly pressed out semi-spherical portions H8 which are spaced on opposite sides of the center on the same diameter and which act as contact points. When in assembled position the spring H2 presses the plate down and the portions I I8 into engagement with the upper surface of the member I8 and the contacts 84.

It will thus be seen that as the upper portion I04 is turned within the cylindrical casing I that it will carry with it the lower contact plate I08 and move the portions I I8 to and from bridging contact between the two contacts 84, depending upon its position thereover. The outer surface of the member 34 has marked thereon certain indicia indicating whether the switch is on or off, depending on the position of the rectangular upper member I04.

Extending parallel with the major axis of the switching means and in the body of the member 34 between the switching means and the steering column, is a further bore I 2% within which is supported a barrel lock having an outer sleeve I22 which fits snugly therein and also projects for a short distance through an opening in the sleeve 48 to prevent axial movement of the same. A small opening IE4 is drilled through the horizontal side of the member 34 and into the outer shell I22 and a pin I28 is press fitted into this opening to prevent the outer barrel from turning. The inner barrel of the lock I28 carries at its lower extremity an eccentric pin I38 which projects through the opening in the sleeve 45 and operates in an elongated slot 32 in the upper surface of the plunger 48. The position of this pin is controlled by key 534 in the conventional manner.

The operation of my device is as follows:

With the locking pin 23% in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3, the spring 58 is permitted to press the plunger 48 to its extreme left position so that the nose thereof engages in the opening 54 in the actuating tube 49 and prevents the same from turning which of course locks the steering wheel. At the same time this position of the plunger 28 causes the disks and ID to be pulled back tightly against the flange 55 of the sleeve and out of bridging contact across the portions 92 and 94 to thereby open the ignition circuit at this point. If the member i0 3 is turned to its off position, the ignition circuit will be further broken across contacts 86. If new the key I34 is actuated to move the locking pin 53% to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 3, this pin acting against the shoulder of the elongated groove I 32 will pull the plunger 48 toward the right which action causes the nose to be withdrawn from the opening 54 and allows the steering column to be rotated. This action also compresses the spring 58 and moves the contact disk II! to the right until the same bridges the gap be tween the portions 92 and 9G to complete the circuit thereacross. The ignition switch 38 may now be operated to directly control the ignition circuit in its on-and-off positions. Immediately, however, when the key I34 is again turned to locking position, the ignition will be broken across contacts 92 and $4 to prevent continued operation of the ignition circuit when the nose 50 looks the steering column in its rotation. It should be noted that both the disks H3 and 5% are spring pressed against their respective contacts in circuit closing position to insure satisfactory electrical connection. It will thus be evident that as long as the steering column cannot be turned, it will be impossible to either start or maintain the motor running which feature is necessary since it would not be possible to steer the car and an accident might result if the motor was allowed to run.

It will be seen that I have provided a simple compact locking device controlling two necessary operating functions of the automobile in such manner that they are interdependent and the operation is sequential.

While I have shown and disclosed a definite mechanical means for carrying out my invention, it is apparent that there may be other ways of accomplishing the same result and therefore I do not wish my invention to be limited to the device as disclosed, but only by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In control apparatus for automotive vehicles adapted to be secured to a steering column, a unitary body having a longitudinal and. a plurality of transverse passages therein, telescoping longitudinally movable means in the longitudinal passage, a locking bolt on one end thereof and a contact on the opposite end, locking means in one of the transverse passages engaging the movable means to shift the latter, an insulating block in the second transverse passage, a plurality of contacts in said block, a part of which are located adjacent the contact on the end of the movable means and rotatable means mounted on the body adjacent the remainder of the contacts.

2. In control apparatus for automotive vehicles and adapted to be secured to the steering column, a body, a telescoping member longitudinally movable within the body, one end of which projects therefrom to lock the steering column against rotation, a block of insulating material carried by the opposite end of said member, a rod carried within the insulating material and two disks slidable upon the rod, one an insulating and the other conducting, resilient means on the rod bearing against the disks and a stop to maintain the disks on the rod.

3. In apparatus of the class described, a unitary body adapted to be secured to a steering column and having a longitudinal passage and a plurality of transverse passages therein, telescoping longitudinal movable means within the longitudinal passage, a locking bolt on one end thereof and a contact carried on the other end thereof, means in one of said transverse passages engaging the movable means to shift the same, an insulating block in the second of said transverse passages and a plurality of contacts in said block located adjacent the contact on the end of the movable means.

4. In apparatus of the class described, a body having a longitudinal passage and a plurality of transverse passages therein, a plunger within said longitudinal passage having a locking means at one end thereof, a contact rod carrying a contact at one end thereof and supported by said plunger at the end opposite said locking means, an insulating block in one of said transverse passages, a plurality of contacts in said block, spring means which tends to force the plunger and locking means to locking position and the plunger supported contact spaced from the contacts in said insulating block and means within the second of said transverse passages to move the plunger, locking means and contact against the force of said spring means in order to move the locking means to unlocking position and the movable contact into engagement with the contacts in said insulated block.

5. In apparatus of the class described comprising a unitary body adapted to be secured to a steering column and having a longitudinal passage and a plurality of transverse passages intersecting said longitudinal passage, in one of which transverse passages is a block of insulating material having a pair of spaced contacts, the combination which includes a sleeved member in said longitudinal passage having an inwardly extending flange at an end thereof adjacent the spaced contacts, a plunger within said sleeve having a locking bolt portion at one end thereof, a contact rod carried by said plunger having one end thereof fixed to said plunger for movement there- With and insulated therefrom, the other end of said contact rod extending through said flangedend of the sleeve, a contact carried by said contact rod on the end extending through said flanged-end of the sleeve, an insulating member between said contact and said sleeve, spring means Within said sleeve biasing said plunger away from said flange and a smaller spring biasing said contact and insulating member away from said flanged sleeve end.

6. In a device of the class described, a plunger having a locking bolt at one end thereof, a contact rod carried by the other end of said plunger and insulated therefrom, a contact disc carried by said contact rod at the end thereof opposite the locking bolt, a disc of insulating material also carried by said contact rod, means tending to force the plunger, contact rod, contact disc and insulating disc in one direction and means tending to force the contact disc and disc of insulating material in the opposite direction.

7. In apparatus of the class described, a unitary body adapted to be secured to a steering column and having a longitudinal passage and two transverse passages therein, a sleeved member in said longitudinal passage having an inwardly flanged end, a plunger within said sleeved member having a locking bolt at one end, a contact rod carried by said plunger having one end thereof fixed to said plunger so that there is no relative movement therebetween and insulated from the plunger, the other end of said contact rod extending through the flanged end of the sleeve, a contact carried by said contact rod on the end extending through said flanged end of the sleeve, an insulating member between said contact and said flanged end of the sleeve, spring means within said sleeve biasing said plunger away from said flange, a smaller spring biasing said contact and insulating member away from said flanged sleeve end, means in one of the transverse passages for moving the plunger and parts carried thereby, an insulating block in the second passage, a pair of spaced contacts on said block adjacent the contact carried by said contact rod whereby the movable contact in one position may bridge the spaced contacts to complete an electrical circuit therethrough, a second pair of spaced contacts carried by said block of insulating material and rotatable bridging contacts supported on the body to complete an electrical circuit.

WILLIAM C. EDWARDS. 

